Author: KESQ

Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A convicted felon accused of trying to sexually assault a woman at a Whitewater canine training facility pleaded guilty today to attempted rape.

Bryan Vines Burge, 55, admitted the felony count Tuesday under a pretrial agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In exchange for his admission, prosecutors agreed to drop two related charges and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon during a sexual offense.

The crime happened on Aug. 16, 2025. According to sheriff’s investigators, shortly before 7 a.m., the defendant forcibly entered the Guide Dogs of the Desert compound at 60735 Dillon Road, where canines are specially trained to serve as companion and guardian pets for the blind.

Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Tucker scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 19 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. A potential sentence was not published.

Burge remains held without bail at the nearby Benoit Detention Center.

According to investigators with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, shortly before 7 a.m. last Aug. 16, the defendant forcibly entered the Guide Dogs of the Desert compound at 60735 Dillon Road, where canines are specially trained to serve as companion and guardian pets for the blind.

Sheriff’s officials said Burge encountered a woman and pulled a knife on her, proceeding with an attempted sexual assault.

The victim struggled and suffered unspecified injuries during the attack but was able to break free of the defendant’s grasp and flee to call for help, according to investigators.   

Patrol deputies converged on the location a short time later and initiated a search based on the woman’s statements. They located and arrested Burge without incident on Dillon Road three hours later.

The victim did not require hospitalization. It was unclear whether the defendant specifically burglarized the training facility to target the woman.   

Court documents indicated he had prior convictions out of Orange County for burglary and lewd acts on a minor.

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A man was cleared of all charges in the 2019 shooting death of a Halloween partygoer in La Quinta after an Indio jury acquitted him, court records confirmed today.  

After deliberating less than five hours Monday, jurors weighing the fate of Jorge Andres Huerta Arias, 24, of Whitewater returned with not guilty verdicts on murder and the lesser and included offense of voluntary manslaughter in the death of 19-year-old Anthony Carrillo of La Quinta.

The trial concluded Monday after roughly two weeks of testimony at the Larson Justice Center. Riverside County Superior Court Judge Otis Sterling closed the case following jurors’ verdicts. However, Arias was not immediately released from the Benoit Detention Center, where he remained held without bail Tuesday pending resolution of an unrelated felony case, for which a hearing is scheduled Feb. 13.  

Carrillo was fatally shot on Oct. 26, 2019.   

At the outset of the trial, defense attorney Shaun Sullivan contended the “case is about survival,” not murder.   

Sullivan told jurors Arias went to the party with his cousin and her boyfriend to have a good time — not to promote his “clique,” as the prosecution argued.

The attorney said Carrillo was a member of his own clique and he and Arias had been at odds previously. Sullivan described Carrillo as a bully, who joined his associates in trying to intimidate the defendant while they attended high school together.   

According to the defense, during the Halloween party, his client clearly heard someone shouting, “Smoke this fool; get the gun!” and Arias was instantly in fear of his life.   

“He fires back out of survival, out of fear,” Sullivan told the jury.   

He acknowledged Arias fled the scene, but said it was for self preservation, which he also said explained the young man’s choice of hospitals. He said Arias worried that if he tried to go to a medical facility in the Coachella Valley, Carrillo’s associates might seek him out to finish what they started at the party.  

Deputy District Attorney Steve Sorensen told jurors that Arias went to the house party at 53965 Avenida Madero armed with a handgun and intent on causing trouble.

Sorensen outlined how the defendant was active in his gang and wore a black hat with the brand clearly visible to reinforce his standing as a member. While others were dancing to loud music shortly after midnight, Arias turned confrontational, focusing his attention on individuals he perceived as adversaries, the prosecutor alleged.

“Instead of using his hands, the defendant pulls out a gun,” Sorenson said, adding that Arias unleashed a “volume of shots” that caused people to dive for cover or run.

Carrillo was in the line of fire and mortally wounded. Someone — it was unclear who — returned fire and shot Arias in the buttocks, possibly as he fled from the property, according to the prosecution.

Sheriff’s deputies converged on the residence minutes later and discovered the victim in critical condition. He was taken to a Coachella Valley hospital, where he died that morning.

The defendant went to a friend’s residence in Cathedral City, where he elicited help. He was taken to San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital in Banning for treatment of his non-life-threatening posterior wound.

Hospital staff notified law enforcement of the patient’s arrival, and Cathedral City police officers went to question him because he claimed to have been the victim of a drive-by attack in that city.

Sorensen said a search of the area where the supposed drive-by occurred turned up no evidence to support the claim.   

Though he was ultimately connected with the shooting at the La Quinta property, Arias was not immediately arrested. Sheriff’s detectives spent the ensuing years tying together loose ends and gathering sufficient evidence to finally seek felony charges against him in 2025, culminating in his arrest last June.

Arias has no documented prior felony convictions in county adult court.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Festival Theaters in Palm Springs will screen a series of films featuring Udo Kier, the late Palm Springs resident and German actor, starting Thursday.

Check Out: Festival Theaters Enters New Era Focusing on Independent, International Films and LGBTQ+ Films

The film series, “Remembering Udo Kier: Palm Springs’ Valentine,” will be held though March 5 at 789 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way.   

Kier died on Nov. 23, 2025 in Palm Springs at the age of 81. He appeared in more than 200 roles in films such as “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” “Johnny Mnemonic,” “End of Violence” and “Flesh for Frankenstein.”  

“From cult horror to new queer cinema to arthouse prestige, the slate offers audiences a chance to revisit Kier’s work while highlighting his deep personal connection to Palm Springs, a city he embraced,” officials said.  

The tribute kicks off Thursday with “Blood for Dracula,” a 1974 horror film written and directed by Paul Morrissey. It will screen at 7 p.m. Thursday, at noon Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. Feb. 8-11, and at noon Feb. 12.

Director Gus Van Sant’s 1991 drama “My Own Private Idaho” will screen Feb. 13-19 at 8 p.m. each night.

Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier’s 2011 science fiction fable “Melancholia” screens Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m., and Feb 21-26 at 7 p.m.

Finally, the 2021 comedic drama “Swan Song,” which stars Kier as a flamboyant retired hairdresser who embarks on an odyssey to confront the ghosts of his past, will screen at 7 p.m. Feb. 27-March 5.  

Tickets can be found at festivaltheaters.com/home/.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County today recorded its largest increase since Nov. 5, rising 3.6 cents to $4.262, its 12th increase in 13 days.

The average price has increased 13.9 cents over the past 13 days, including two-tenths of a cent Monday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It rose six consecutive days, dropped one-tenth of a cent Wednesday and resumed rising Thursday.

Check Out Our Gas Gauge Section For Lowest Prices in the Coachella Valley

The average price is 12 cents more than one week ago and 11.3 cents higher than one month ago, but 12.9 cents less than one year ago. It has dropped $2.111 since rising to a record $6.373 on Oct. 5, 2022.

The average price rose 4 cents on Nov. 5.   

The national average price rose eight-tenths of a cent to $2.883, one day after a half-cent increase. It is a half-cent less than one week ago, 6.3 cents more than one month ago and 21.5 cents lower than one year ago.   

The national average price has dropped $2.133 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.

“While oil prices jumped to their highest level in months amid geopolitical tensions, a weakening U.S. dollar, and supply concerns, the national average price of gasoline saw little change compared to a week ago,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which provides real- time gas price information from more than 150,000 stations, said in a statement released Monday.  

“Just over half of states saw gas prices decline, led by Indiana, Ohio, and other price-cycling states that had previously seen prices jump but have since started to fall. Meanwhile, prices are rising across much of the West Coast as the transition to summer gasoline begins, and attention turns to another refinery shutdown in California expected in April.   

“Over the coming weeks, we’re likely to see more states experiencing increases than decreases.”

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Luis Avila

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) — Varner Road has been identified as one of California’s five most dangerous roadways, according to a new state study.

State, county and local leaders gathered Tuesday at SunLine Transit Agency headquarters to review the study’s findings and outline next steps to improve safety along the corridor.

The Varner Road safety corridor spans 2.3 miles from slightly north of Bob Hope Drive to just south of Monterey Avenue in the Coachella Valley, according to CalTrans.

The stretch of roadway has experienced 17 fatal/serious injury (FSI) crashes between 2019 and 2023, resulting in four fatalities and 25 serious injuries.

As a result of the findings, Varner Road has been designated a “Priority Safety Corridor,” a status that allows agencies to fast-track safety improvements aimed at reducing crashes and serious injuries, including improvements to stripes, guardrails, mediums and visibility.

Plans for these improvements could be ready as soon as this upcoming June.

Corridors were identified in partnership with UC Berkeley SafeTREC using a High Injury Network method applied to five years of crash data (2019–2023, with 2023 provisional). Sites rose to the top based on analysis of safety data, varied contexts and partner readiness.

Success will be tracked through reductions in fatal and serious-injury crashes. Leading indicators — such as vehicle speeds, conflict points and telematics data (including braking and acceleration patterns) — will help detect risk early and guide proactive adjustments. 

This comes as CVAG, which was also present, is already working to improve a 22-mile section of Varner Road, known as CV Sync.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Daniella Lake

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – For Black History Month, News Channel 3 will be spotlighting Black trailblazers and pioneers who’ve had a significant impact on the Coachella Valley. James O. Jessie was the director for parks and recreation in Palm Springs, and the manager for the Desert Highland Unity Center for decades. He was known to community members as “Uncle James.”

“He was a role model. He was a father figure. He was someone that made sure that you did better in life,” says Jarvis Crawford, the current manager for the James O.Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center. Crawford also serves as president for the Palm Springs Black History Committee.

He was well-known for empowering youth by encouraging them to participate in sports and enjoy the outdoors. He founded the Desert Highland drill team and drum squad, and often took youth on field trips.

“He showed us that there was life outside Palm Springs,” says Monica Turner, his daughter.

In 2000, he took the kids on an annual fishing trip. On the trip, one boy started drowning. After jumping in the water to save the young boy, the current took James O. Jessie, ultimately leading to his death.

“For everybody out here, he was Uncle James. So everybody lost an uncle that day,” says Turner.

Turner and Hall say his legacy continues on in the lives he touched and that he instilled many life lessons in the youth he worked with.

“To be proud of themselves, to be proud of their heritage,” Turner says.

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Garrett Hottle

MECCA, Calif. (KESQ) New details are emerging after a paraglider was seriously injured when crashing into power lines Monday afternoon in Mecca.

According to officials, crews responded around 5 p.m. to reports of a paraglider down near Johnson Street and Highway 111.

Images shared by Riverside County Fire Department show what appears to be a paraglider and cables at the scene. Fire officials later confirmed the aircraft involved was a paraglider, not a parachute, after initial reports.

Officials say there was only one person on board. That pilot suffered major injuries and was airlifted by helicopter to a local hospital for treatment.

Fire officials say once the patient was transferred to hospital care, they no longer received updates on the person’s condition.

Authorities have not said what caused the crash or how long the paraglider may have been entangled in the power lines. The incident remains under investigation.

News Channel 3 has reached out to family friends regarding the condition of the injured pilot, and will update you with any additional information as it becomes available.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates on this developing story.

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Julia Castro

WHITEWATER, Calif. (KESQ) — A crash involving a semi-truck in Whitewater early Tuesday prompted a hazardous materials response and caused traffic delays for drivers heading into the Coachella Valley, authorities said.

The crash was reported shortly after 1 a.m. and involved a semi-truck that leaked fuel onto the roadway. Emergency crews shut down multiple lanes while hazmat teams worked to contain and clean up the spill.

A preliminary investigation revealed a tractor-trailer collided with another tractor-trailer parked on the right shoulder of I-10 in front of the Whitewater Rest Area, which caused one of the semi trucks to rupture its “right side saddle tank, causing a release of fuel and engine oil onto the right shoulder of Interstate 10 eastbound,” the agency said.

A second crash occurred a short time later involving three other vehicles after they attempted to avoid the initial crash. In total, four semi trucks and a 2023 white Subaru were involved in the two collisions, authorities said.

A 46-year-old man from Bell and a 60-year-old man from Long Beach were taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs for complaints of pain. No other injuries were reported.

The No. 3 and 4 lanes were temporarily closed for clean-up, but re-opened by 10 a.m. Caltrans and the Department of Environmental Health were requested to assist at the scene.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – More artists continue to get added to the lineup for the 2026 Coachella Music and Arts Festival.

On Monday, Goldenvoice released the lineup for the Heineken House, a stage on the festival grounds.

Friday’s lineup includes Zerb, Wale, Robin Schulz, Kryptogram, and Sander Kleinenberg.

Saturday will feature Sean Paul (Weekend 1 only), Big Boi from Outkast (Weekend 2 only), Coi Leray, Andruss, Joshwa, Niiko X Swae, and REDKE.

Sunday will feature Motion City Soundtrack, Less Than Jake, Nimino, Oskar Med K, Mild Minds.

“Heineken House emits a magnetic energy that fans seek out year after year.  It has become an iconic destination where fans connect, socialize and enjoy a music experience unlike any other on the festival grounds.  Beyond this stellar line-up, we’ll be announcing even more surprises for the Heineken House in the coming months that will further cement it as the destination for social connection on festival grounds,” said Guilherme de Marchi Retz, Marketing VP of Heineken at HEINEKEN USA. 

Last week, festival organizers released the lineup for the Dolab and Quasar stages.

The inclusions are in addition to the previously announced artists on the main Coachella lineup. The 2026 Coachella festival will be headlined by Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G.

The Coachella Music and Arts Festival will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on April 10-12 and April 17-19.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Peter Daut

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Thousands of cyclists will take over streets across the valley on Saturday for the 28th annual “Tour de Palm Springs.”

The event is one of the largest charity cycling rides in the country, drawing up to 8,000 participants from nearly every state and several countries each year.

Routes range from short walks to a 102-mile ride, all starting in downtown Palm Springs and spanning the Coachella Valley.

It has raised millions of dollars for local charities since it began in 1998.

“We have about 100 to 150 nonprofit organizations that sign up through us. So everything they raise and everything they bring in, we give right back to them as a donation for their charity,” Kathleen Esser, executive director of the Tour de Palm Springs.

This year’s theme honors military members, first responders, and veterans. Click here for more information.

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